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Household Support Fund

Find out more about how we are spending the £1.9 million from the Household Support Fund.

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We’ve been made aware of reports of scam calls from another local authority, where fraudsters have called residents and asked them to apply for a Household Support Fund loan. Please note that we would never ask you to apply for a loan or for your bank details. If you have any concerns, please call 020 7641 6000.

Funded by the UK Government logo

We have been allocated £1.9m for October 2024 to March 2025 from the Department of Work and Pensions Household Support Fund.

This is to help the most vulnerable residents during the cost of living crisis.

Much of the help is received directly, although there is a Winter Fuel Payment Fund that older people can be applied for.

We have decided to spend our allocation on:

  • help during the holidays for families receiving free school meals
  • help for vulnerable families and young people
  • help for older people
  • support for food charities

Help during the holidays for families receiving free school meals

Families eligible for free school meals will receive supermarket vouchers at £3.50 per day per child in the holidays. Around 5,000 families will receive help and will receive their vouchers just before the October 2024 half term, Christmas 2024 holiday, February 2025 half term and Easter 2025 holiday.

Find out more about free school meals, including if your child is eligible to receive them.

Help for vulnerable families and young people

If you are working with Children's Services and are assessed as struggling due to the cost of living crisis, you may receive supermarket vouchers of £50 to £100. These will be available from late November 2024. If you want to know more, contact the Access Team at 020 7641 4000. 

Around 440 single young people, including Care Leavers known to Children's Services, will receive vouchers of £50 if they are assessed as struggling due to the cost of living crisis. These will be available from November 2024. If you want to know more, contact the Access Team at 020 7641 4000. 

Help for older people

Older people in November 2024 should receive a letter from DWP letting them know if they still eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment.   

Around 2,000 households receiving housing benefit or council tax support who are no longer eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment will receive super market vouchers directly. These will be received in November or December 2024 and amount to £200 or £300, depending on your circumstances.

There will also be a Winter Fuel Payment Fund for other older people likely to struggle due to the loss of the Winter Fuel Payment. Applications can be made through AgeUK Westminster who will help you complete a short application form and check you are receiving everything you are eligible for.  

To apply contact AgeUK Westminster by phone on 020 3004 5610 between 10 am and 2pm, Monday to Friday or by email at: [email protected] 

Help will be in the form of supermarket vouchers of £200 or £300. 

The fund is expected to be open from 13 November until February 2025 although it may close for periods if demand is high. We will keep this page updated if the fund needs to close temporarily.

To be eligible you must:  

  • Be born before 23 September 1958 and no longer eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment  
  • Be likely to struggle this Winter due to the loss of the Winter Fuel Payment  
  • Have recourse to public funds 
  • Be a Westminster resident or placed by the council in temporary accommodation outside the borough 
  • Not receive housing benefit or council tax support (as you will receive direct help and don’t need to apply), Pension Credit or one of the other benefits that would qualify you for a Winter Fuel Payment  

Cost of Living Support Fund

Households working with one of the advice organisations below to resolve their financial difficulties may be referred for a super market voucher of £170 to £370 depending on their circumstances.  

To be eligible households must be: 

  • Westminster residents
  • or homeless households placed outside Westminster in temporary accommodation   

And be in receipt of an income related means test benefit:    

  • Income Support  
  • State Pension Credit    
  • Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance   
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance   
  • Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit   
  • Universal Credit.    

Or have a low income of up to £30,000 for households without children and up to £50,000 where there are children in the household.

Advice organisations that are able to make these referrals:  

Grants to food charities

Some of the main food charities will receive extra help. Find out more about the food help available across Westminster. 

More information

Our cost of living support hub has information about all the other support and help available and there is also information on the government's cost of living hub. 

Find out more about the Household Support Fund:

Published: 19 June 2023

Last updated: 12 November 2024